


The Savior's Secret

by ComatoseRose



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2019-05-21
Packaged: 2019-05-30 02:40:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15087200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComatoseRose/pseuds/ComatoseRose
Summary: Everyone is panicking enough now that they know about Emma's dream. Rumple hears the news and decides it's the best time to bring up a secret far more crushing. Meanwhile, Carl Grimes is trying to find peace in his escape from Negan...





	1. Chapter 1

Once Upon A Time(OUAT) World

Everyone spoke over eachother. Snow with her trust speech, David with his questions, and the others in a blur. Emma tried hard to ignore it all.

"Guys!" she finally burst. "I appreciate your concern, but you have no reason to wrong me about this! It's my problem and I'll figure it out," she ended with a pant in the silence.

"Emma, if you die, that's on all of us," Snow said quietly.

Suddenly, there was hazy red smoke spiralling in the middle of the room. Emma was surprised at her thankfullness for the intrusion.

"Oh, but that's not all, dearies. Ms. Swan forgot to mention something that should've been told long ago," Gold said with a Rumplestiltskin shimmy. So much for being grateful, she thought.

Emma stared at Gold warily. Could he know? It was impossible! But he was the dark one...

"Indeed, I do know. I found out when I was looking for my son with that blood spell. I'm sure you're all probably wondering what I found." Emma's eyes widened at his confirmation. 

"A speck so far away, it wasn't even on the map. It was outside of it. So tell me Ms. Swan, why-"

"Don't," Emma warned, feeling clammy now.

"What is it?" Snow pressed, avoiding the betrayed eyes of her daughter.

"Emma, please. We're your friends," Regina encouraged.

"Please, love," Hook tried.

"Mom," Henry said firmly, confident she'd give in. Emma and Gold ignored them. 

"You knew all along that magic was real, didn't you? Or can you explain-"

"Stop!" Emma pleaded.

"Emma, It's alright," Snow soothed with her brows furrowed, anxious as to what her daughter was keeping from her friends and family.

"Why is my other grandson in another realm!?" Rumple thundered.

"Mom, what's he talking about?" Henry asked with a step forward. "We deserve to know."

"No," Emma shook her head frantically. "Why. Why now?!" Emma shouted, almost in hysterics. She couldn't think about it.

"Because," Gold said, and she thought she saw a flash of his gold skin. "You never did pay for taking that child. Cinderella's, may I remind you? We had a deal and you broke it," he snarled. 

"What are you getting at, Gold?" David seethed, his mind racking. Rumple paid him no mind.

"That's right, Miss Swan. I know Henry has a twin brother," he stated in satisfaction.

Gasps of disbelief echoed in the small room.

"How do I know it was a boy? Because I went there. That-" he waved his hand in disgust,"place, was a disaster. So hot and, and bloody!"

"What do you mean? You knew him?" Emma asked amazed and concerned, forgetting her shame. 

"Wha- Emma, It's true?" Regina questioned, completely astounded. She placed a hand on the shoulder of her pale son. He was stiff, an impassive look plastered on his mature face.

Rumple nodded to Emma, still wearing a face of horror. "There was an apocalypse. Zombies everywhere! Then I ran into him. Carl Grimes. He's a fighter, and I'll say he is a much better grandson than this light one," he gestured to Henry, whom only remained stoic.

"But when I opened another portal, he thought I was crazy!"

"That's not a surprise," Emma spoke, still dazed at what she was hearing. A distinct smile could be heard in her voice. Gold glared. "Anyways, he pushed me into it. Those were the last two beans I had. I have no other way to get back."

"Why do you want to go back?" Emma asked in interest. Gold looked a bit sheepish as he explained. "Well, I-I guess I grew to like him. He sees things differently."

The rush of guilt clouded Emma's mind once again. She looked around to the silent, red eyed people. Jasmine and Archie were long gone, apparently not wanting to intrude.

Her parents had tears in their eyes and Hook was looking down.

Regina offered a genuine look of sympathy(as shocked as the queen was that her son had a twin). But the worst thing Emma saw was the dissapointment in Henry's eyes, just like when she lied about his father.

He shook his head in disbelief. "How could you not tell me I had a brother?" "I'm sorry," she breathed with a shaky voice, sheer terror planted on her face.

"All this time!" Henry watched her with one more angry glance before rushing out the apartment.

"I'll go after him," Regina announced, giving Emma's shoulder a squeeze as she walked past.

Gold shrugged as he exited with a poof.

Snow gravely looked into her daughter's eyes, filled with remorse and almost distrust.

Emma couldn't look at her parents now. "We need to talk, Emma," Snow said with the tone of a teacher.

Emma nodded. "I know..." She looked to Hook, whom gave no clue as to what he was thinking before he stepped out the loft.

Emma watched him leave in internal agony. Snow and David looked down, sharing looks of sorrow for the couple.

The family of three numbly strode to the couches.


	2. Chapter 2

The Walking Dead World

Carl lay stiffly in his hay bed as thunder rolled through the sky and flashes of lightning blinded him. He shivered under the constant raindrops that the wind flung at him. He hated nights. They were the times he could do nothing but sleep, or remember every painful death he had to watch. All his regrets. He curled up. This was one of those nights.

He shifted to look at the roof of the barn, blinking back tears. Forget the past. His baby sister, dad, and friends were all trapped with Negan, while he escaped like a coward. He couldn't even feel free, for he had an itching feeling that Negan's men were hunting him right now.

He jerked up as a bolt of lightning hit a tractor, just a yard away. "Oh shit," he hissed in alarm. A clap of thunder followed, so loud that it made him jump. 

Just then, bolts of electricity hit all around the barn, the buzzing and crackling roaring in his ears. He panted, eyes wide, fearful for his life. "Please, no," he moaned. Closing his eyes and ready to give up, he heard a whooshing. It had to be deja vu. As he looked to his left, he realised there was a dark blue sinkhole, swaying and churning with the buzz of electricity. Just like all that time ago. 

Rumplestiltskin, he thought. His fear did not vanish. That wizardy man tried to pull him in that thing.

A figure in black was sprawled on his stomach. Carl lied still.

In seconds, he heard the sputtering and grunts of a...girl?

Woman, to be exact. "Bloody hell, Regina!" he heard her shout. 

Who was Regina? He put that aside for now, focussing on the woman. Her hair was in a bun, red and messy from the journey. As she lifted her head, he noted her striking eyes of sky blue.

He sucked in a breath when their eyes met. "Who the hell are you?" she called out. When he didn't answer, she rolled her eyes and limped towards him, cursing under her breath. 

"I don't remember this place in Oz," she snarked. Her eyes roved over the barn and then him. 

"Oh god, you're missing an eye!" she pointed out. "Well, not the first I've seen a bloke missing something," she muttered as an afterthought. "But your clothes.They're dirty!" 

Okay, now he was starting to feel offended.  
Little did he know she was also referring to the blood stains.

"Are you being abused?" she asked, kinder. He gulped.

Was he? He thought back to Negan, punishing him and his friends if they tried to escape his thresholds.  
Carl swallowed past the lump in his throat. "Sort of," he uttered. 

"Been there, done that," she offered sympathetically. "I'm Zelena. Well I'm sure you've heard about me- wicked witch of the west?" 

Carl felt composed now and decided to speak up. "The one with flying monkeys? I've read the fairytale. But you're saying that's you?"

Now Zelena was looking offended. "Oi, It's not that hard to believe. Unless, oh god, have they been describing me as old and grey with a wart on my nose?" she asked in horror. 

Carl shook his head. "No, but not pretty either-"

"Well thanks for addressing my beauty," she flourished. 

Intending to twirl, Zelena found herself dropping to the hay in pain. "Ooh ooh, ow ow, my ankle!" she wailed.

She ran a straight hand over it, and gasped when no green glow occured. "My magic!" she protested. She stared at her hand in defeat.

"Regina took my magic away?" Zelena asked like a lost little girl. She quivered with hatred and loss. 

Carl was unsure what to do when he saw her face scrunch up. Was she going to cry? No. She wiped her eyes and gazed at the sky.

"Where's doctor Whale when I actually want him?" she said sarcastically. Of course, the boy wouldn't understand, she knew. Turning her gaze back to him, Zelena's face was back to business mode. 

"Boy, what's your name? What happened to Oz? Why does it look like a farmland?"  
Her clear eyes were sharper than his deeper blue, he realised. 

"I'm Carl. And this isn't Oz. This is...the real world. Magic doesn't exist here. Just zombies." He shrugged. 

"Hold on, this isn't Oz? Zombies? If what you're saying is true, I just got teleported to a new realm!" she exclaimed. Then she shook her head. "I'm afraid your world is as magical as mine, Carl. The normal world wouldn't have living dead. It's very...boring," she finished lamely. 

Carl chuckled softly. From humor or bitterness, he didn't know. 

"That boring world would be better than watching my family and friends get infected or murdered."

Zelena's head snapped to face him. She now saw eyes that were wise with history.

They were both quiet for a moment before Carl had to ask.

"But, why're you here? You came from that portal thing...just like Mr. Gold," he trailed off. 

Zelena looked surprised. "The dark one? You mean he came here?"

Carl couldn't recall if Mr.Gold listed that as one of his names. 

"If that's what he's called, then yeah," he nodded.

"What was he doing here?" Zelena pressed. 

Carl leaned back in his hay bed, getting comfortable to tell his tale.


	3. Chapter 3

Hook stood up, waiting on Emma to do the same. She hesitantly followed. "So," he sighed. "I would ask why you never told us, but I can understand it was something you wanted to forget, even if it hurts." 

She nodded. "I know. And I really am sorry." He held her hand. "I know you are...thing is, why is he in another realm?" 

Her jaw clentched thinking about the terrible world her son lived in. "I don't know," she whispered. "It must've been the people who adopted him, the center, someone!" she groaned in frustration. Her voice cracked. "I never meant for this to happen." 

He held her hands. "We'll figure it out," he promised.


End file.
